Dual control conversion locking mechanism

ABSTRACT

A LOCKING MECHANISM FOR A FILE CABINET OR THE LIKE, THE DEVICE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL LOCK UNITS, EACH ONE OF WHICH PREVENTS ACCESS FOR GAINING REACH TO A SECOND LOCK WITHOUT FIRST OPENING UP A FIRST LOCK POSITIONED IN FRONT OF THE OTHER

Feb. 2, 1971 RHER'M'ANN 3,

DUAL CONTROL CONVERSION LOCKING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 31, 1969 United States Patent US. Cl. 70-85 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A locking mechanism for a file cabinet or the like, the device comprising a plurality of individual lock units, each one of which prevents access for gaining reach to a second lock without first opening up a first lock positioned in front of the other.

This invention relates generally to locking mechanisms for file cabinets and the like.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide the concealment of an existing locked cabinet lock, whereby an unauthorized person is obliged first to open an outer lock before gaining access to a second look there behind, thus making it particularly diflicult for an unauthorized person from gaining access ot material thus protected.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a locking mechanism for a file cabinet or the like wherein a conventional locking mechanism is converted to a double lock.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a locking mechanism which is readily adaptable to incorporate locking devices which are operated by employing no keys.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a locking mechanism which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efiicient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident by a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lock case which comprises a component of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an auxiliary lock which is adaptable to be received within the lock case,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a shackle assembly comprised of a shackle support and a shackle cover, and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a rear side of a lock case and a front side of a file cabint for double locking the same.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral represents a dual control conversion locking mechanism, according to the present invention, wherein thereis a lock case 11 for receiving a lock 12, the lock 12 having a shackle 13 which is secured by a shackle assembly 14 comprised of a shackle support 15 and a shackle cover 16.

The lock case 11 comprises a housing 17 having a back wall 18 with a cut out slot 19 therethrough for purpose of allowing a pushbutton 20 of a file cabinet lock to protrude therethrough. It is generally'well known that file cabinets 21 are provided with pushbutton locks having forwardly projecting pushbuttons which must be depressed inwardly so to lock the drawers 22 of the file cabinet. The lock case further includes a bottom wall 23, top wall 24, opposite side walls 25, 26, a front wall 27, the front wall 27 having a recess 28 therein, as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing. A pair of mounting openings 29 through the rear wall 18 are provided for receiving screws hoe 30 on a front wall 31 of the file cabinet drawer 22, thus allowing securement of the lock case upon a front side of the file cabinet.

A conventional combination lock 12 is receivable within the lock case 11, the combination lock 12 including a lock case 33 housing a lock mechanism that can be manually opened by means of a dial 34 so as to open up a lock shackle 13.

The present invention further includes a shackle assembly, as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing, wherein the shackle support comprises a generally U-shaped block which is receivable under the shackle 13, the shackle support having a threaded opening 35 therethrough.

The shackle cover '16 comprises an inverted vessel that is receivable over the shackle 13, the cover likewise having an opening 36 for alignment with the opening 35 of the shackle support.

In operative use, the lock case 11 will be secured permanently to the file cabinet in the position, as is indicated by the phantom lines 37 of FIG. 4. The lock case, as shown, is thus installed over the existing locking installation, the case thus being installed over the pushbutton look by means ofinserting two screws through the openings 29 and 30 and securing them on their rear side by means of nuts. It will be noted that the pushbutton 20 of the file cabinet lock will thus protrude through the opening 19 in the rear wall 18 of the lock case. The padlock 12 will be prepared for installation after the pushbutton 20 has been depressed into a locking position thus making it flush with the cabinet face. The padlock is prepared for installation by first running the combination so as to open the lock shackle, then turning the lock shackle ninety degrees and inserting the shackle support under the shackle arch and while holding the support in place under the shackle arch, the shackle cover is slipped over the shackle and the support and is then secured by placement of a screw through the opening 36 of the shackle cover and into the threaded opening 35 of the shackle support, thus forming the shackle assembly. The padlock 12 is then installed into the lock case and the shackle is closed, thus securing the padlock over the pushbutton and restricting the access to the key-operated pushbutton.

A screw 38 in the side wall 26 of the lock case may be utilized to stabilize the padlock during thte combination dialing period, the screw bearing against the side of the padlock so to maintain the same in a rigid, stationary position.

Thus there has been provided a dual control conversion locking mechanism which will make it particularly diificult for an unauthorized person from gaining access into a file cabinet or the like.

What I now claim is:

1. In a dual control conversion locking mechanism, the combination of a lock case, a padlock, said padlock being contained within said lock case, said padlock including a shackle of U-shaped configuration which in a locked position is depressed downwardly into a lock housing of said padlock, said shackle in an open position being pivotable about one leg comprising a component of said shackle, and said shackle being enclosed within a shackle assembly, said shackle assembly comprising a shackle support and a shackle cover, said shackle support comprising a block that is receivable beneath the arch of said shackle, and said shackle cover comprising an inverted vessel receivable over said padlock shackle and said shackle support, said shackle support having a threaded opening therethrough which is in alignment with an opening in said shackle cover for purpose of receiving a locking screw therethrough.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, whereby said lock case comprises a rectangular enclosure having a rear wall, a bottom wall, opposite side walls, and a front wall, said rear wall having a cut out slot for receiving a file cabinet lock pushbutton therethrough, mounting opening in said rear wall for securement to a front wall of a drawer of said file cabinet, and said front wall having a recess formed therein for clearing a combination dial of said padlock.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein a portion of said top wall and a portion of one of said side walls is broken away for pivotal access outward of said shackle assembly pivoted on said shackle.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein said padlock may be stabilized within said lock case by means of a set screw carried by said lock case, said set screw bearing against a side of said padlock.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,291,993 1/1919 Matthews 7055 2,541,638 2/1951 Clevett 7056 5 3,453,846 7/1969 Owen 7054 FOREIGN PATENTS 8,264 8/1901 Great Britain 70-54 10 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner E. I. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

